I actually believed the story since L.A. Times put their weight behind it. Embarrassing, and telling for journalistic standards that it was able to pass through the internal filters.

Probably the funniest thing about this is the idea that all the right-wingers, racists, and Fundamentalist true-believers who populate the ranks of the FBI would care about doing ab investigation into a rap-murder-- people would notice it if they failed to break up some big Klan revival, and expect them to take action against hate crimes, voter intimidation, etc., but I'm sure B.I.G. and Shakur are just a couple of dead rappers they don't have to worry about, to them.

There would also have to be some federal-law basis for the investigation- the FBI doesn' just peek into any murder.

Okay, after posting my last comment, I think it was a little hasty of me. I'd wager a lot of money that the FBI is full of many a vile right-wing type. But if there was some kind of law promulgated to give the FBI a mandate to check into deaths of famous people- if the FBI had a specific mandate to go after this kind of murder for some reason- I expect the FBI wouldn't shirk its duty.

It's really unfortunate though that Puffy should have his name smeared like this. I don't know if he deserves the bad luck or not, but all things being equal, it's really horrendous that any person- but especially one who has built a huge reputation- should have to have their reputation assailed by something like a huge newspaper. Hopefully these mistakes don't get made often.

There would also have to be some federal-law basis for the investigation- the FBI doesn't just peek into any murder.

Not necessarily. IIRC, any police department can request the FBI's help if they're having trouble with an investigation. The FBI is there solely as consultants, though -- I don't think it becomes an FBI investigation.

I have to say, after reading TSG -- damn, that's embarrassing for Chuck Phillips.

Mnemosyne- that's interesting, and actually now that you mention it, I'm pretty sure I've heard it before, on a documentary or in a Hannibal Lechter novel or something like that. The reason the FBI works a lot of serial-killer cases is because they've got better resources and training to handle something as complicated and difficult as that than are local police departments, who are really mostly involved in passing out traffic tickets, nowadays.

But, it's besides the point of my concerns, because I doubt local police departments are that concerned about brining Tupac's killer to justice, either. Plus, what you're basically saying is the local police department could ask the FBI for help-- but if the FBI wasn't interested, they could turn them down.

that's embarrassing for Chuck Phillips.

Probably a lot worse for Puffy, since so many people admire and love Tupac.

that's embarrassing for Chuck Phillips.

Probably a lot worse for Puffy, since so many people admire and love Tupac.

Chuck Phillips is the Pulitzer-Prize winning investigative reporter who thought the documents were real. So, no, definitely more embarrassing for him that it all turned out to be a hoax.

I'm too busy to follow the link. We're talking about Jonah Goldberg, right?

It's really unfortunate though that Puffy should have his name smeared like this. . . it's really horrendous that any person- but especially one who has built a huge reputation- should have to have their reputation assailed by something like a huge newspaper. Posted by: Swan

You're joking, right? Reputation for what, strange names? How can anyone who goes, first, by the silly name of "Puff Daddy" and now by the embarrassing name of "P. Diddy" possibly be taken seriously about anything?

Silly names? White poeple also name their kids funny:

how about moon unit zappa, armand hammer, Moxie CrimeFighter Jillette, Thursday October Christian.(Fletcher's kid), Chandlelear (lear jet family kid

Mnemosyne wrote:

Chuck Phillips is the Pulitzer-Prize winning investigative reporter who thought the documents were real. So, no, definitely more embarrassing for him that it all turned out to be a hoax.

It's more embarassing to have people think you do your job inadequately than it is to have people think you killed somebody?

Jeff II wrote:

You're joking, right? Reputation for what, strange names?

Um, he's an incredibly rich producer and performer with loads of friends and who gets his music videos put on TV? He's been interviewed for many more magazine articles and TV interviews than you certainly have? He certainly knows more celebrities than you do? He has tons of fans and gets his music played on the radio?

This guy was lucky enough, and had the right combination of talent and a winning personality to accomplish something like many other people can only dream of. He'd have to privately be a pretty despicable monster to deserve having some con-man drop some turds on top of all of that.

Um, he's an incredibly rich producer and performer with loads of friends and who gets his music videos put on TV? He's been interviewed for many more magazine articles and TV interviews than you certainly have? He certainly knows more celebrities than you do? He has tons of fans and gets his music played on the radio?

The question marks are because I'm asking about these as "for-instances"- you can infer a "Well how about because..." preceding any of those sentences.

What's the frequency, Chuck?

It's a pretty low blow to have someone shit all over you dreams, especially when your dream's already come true, and even more especially when it's a one-in-a-million type dream. I don't think Puffy should get to take what he has for granted, and I don't think anyone's entitled to be incredibly rich, powerful, and famous, but as long as he's not hurting anybody, I don't think anybody has a right to take something like his reputation away from him on false charges. Puffy's rich but he's not oppressing anybody.

So he was found out because he used a typewriter and there was NO kerning.

People! Didnt we learn anything from Dan Rather?

Silly names? White poeple also name their kids funny: how about moon unit zappa, armand hammer, Moxie . . . Posted by: Sid, the white-shoe humanist

True, though you forgot the common Jewish name Lipschitz and the not uncommon Thai name Poontang. P. Diddy, however, chose his name, so he has no one to blame but himself.

Um, he's an incredibly rich producer and performer with loads of friends and who gets his music videos put on TV? He's been interviewed for many more magazine articles and TV interviews than you certainly have? He certainly knows more celebrities than you do? He has tons of fans and gets his music played on the radio? Posted by: Swan

I guess so, though you seem to question these things.

Swan, it's time. After you take your meds you can play with your little P. Diddy all you want.

*

Why do publications like the New York Times (Judy Fucking Miller, William Safire, William Kristol), the Washington Post (Box Turtle Ben Domenich), USA Today (Jack Kelley), the Boston Globe (Jeff Jacoby, Mike Barnicle) and National Review (W. Thomas Smith, Box Turtle Ben, Goeglein) get flummoxed so often by right-wing hacks who repeatedly make shit up and steal from others?

For conservatives, whining makes it so.